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CHAPTER- IV

HAIDER ALI AND TIPU SULTAN : A BRIEF PROFILE

Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan were very distinguished rulers of Southern

India. For the expansion, consolidation and development of the Kingdom of

Mysore they created a niche for themselves. Haider Ali played a pivotal role in

the expansion of the Mysore while Tipu Sultan modernized the Kingdom.

Haider Ali was a great warrior, while Tipu Sultan was a great visionary. They

vehemently fought against British colonialism and upheld the sovereignty of

their Kingdom. Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan remain in the history of India the

towering personalities who cherished the ideals of independence, self-respect,

Self-rule, progress and development of the kingdom. In the following pages a

profile of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan has been given.

A PROFILE OF HAIDER ALI

Haider Ali was born in AD 1721 in a village called Bodi Kota near

Bangarpet in Kolar district.1 He was the great grandson of Wali Muhammad

Bhelol, who had migrated from Delhi to Gulbarga.2 Haider Ali laid claim to no

blue blood and neither did his son Tipu Sultan. It may not be wrong to

presuppose, therefore, that in the disturbed conditions following Mughal sack of

the Bijapur and Golkonda kingdoms, the disbanded soldiery of the period sought

services where they were available under local chiefs. Haider Ali seems to have

been a scion of one such disbanded family. His parents were Fatteh Muhammad

and Majeeda Begum, the daughter of Akbar Ali Khan. His parents were

instructed by Haider Ali Shah, one of the greatest saints of those times to name

1 Sinha, Narendra Krishna, Haidar Ali, A. Mukherjee and Co .Private Ltd., Calcutta, India, 1941, p.1 2 Wilks,History of Mysore,Vol.I.P.149

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their son as Haider Ali since he would be a virtuous and worthy son. His father

was a cavalry officer of the Mughal Empire who served one chieftain after

another and had fought several campaigns in the service of the King of Mysore.

In recognition of his distinguished services and victory against the Marathas, his

father was granted the fortress and district of Bangalore as reward. These

possessions became the inheritance of Haider Ali (Figure-7).

Figure- 7. PORTRAIT OF HYDER ALI

Courtesy:J.W Cook, indianet.com

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His family shifted to Doddaballapur after the death of his father. The

Wodeyars gave them shelter in Mysore; yet, Haider Ali could not get the benefit

of education due to the misfortunes of his family.3 His illiteracy is explained in a

document on Mysore by Orme. He did not have the advantage of birth or

wealth. He was a born soldier, an excellent warrior and skilful alike with his

sword and his gun. Cool and sagacious in war-time, he excelled in cavalry

tactics and seemed to possess by intuition the knowledge of how to launch his

horsemen with the greatest impact on the enemy. Haider Ali joined military

service in Devanhalli in 1746 as a volunteer horseman. He was recognized by

Karachuri Nanjaraja after his success at a shooting competition at Devanhalli

and was raised to the command of 50 horses and 200 foot-soldiers.4 Haider Ali

made a successful campaign on the Coramandel Coast at the age of 20 and

became a famous soldier. The Raja of Mysore placed him at the head of his

troops in recognition of his military competence.

Haider Ali rose to prominence during 1749-1755 mainly due to his

courage, energy and enterprising personality. He became a master in one of the

fairest realms formed out of the ruins of the Mughal Empire according to

historians. The rulers of Mysore were haunted by the Marathas and the Nizam

and during 1749-1750 the rulers of Mysore found it difficult to meet the

obligations of a treaty. That trouble provided Haider Ali with his first

opportunity to rise to the occasion. Bowring writes: On his return to Mysore

Haider Ali began to drill his recruits with the aid of a few French peons and

deserters. He raised 500 peons and 200 horses, the former armed with European

flintlocks which he had from time to time possessed himself of.5 The author of

Sanwaneh Hyder Ali observes: Tiruchanapalli proved to be an important 3 MAR 1930, P.81 4 Ibid, p.81 5 Bowring, Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, Rulers of India Series, London, U.K., 1893, p.25.

133

training camp for Haider Ali. Gaining tremendous experience from the dilemma

and struggle, his personality solidified and became more lustrous. His thinking

capability augmented manifolds. His strategy became more clear and accurate.

His character got illuminated. There itself he learn the tricks of warfare. With

his high wisdom, explicit discernment and firm determination, he perceived the

British system of invasion and defence thoroughly.6 On the rise of Haider Ali

as an independent commander writes Professor Sinha His success he owed to

external complications with their quick turns and sudden changes in the course

of events that it is very difficult to say what he owed to his own foresight and

how much to circumstances Intrepid and swift, he was always ready to take

advantage of his opportunities.7 He took possession of the treasure left by the

adversaries after the assassination of Nasir Jung by the Nawab of Cuddapah in

1750 which was supposed to be the French share. Haider Ali made a systematic

organization of what was obviously promiscuous and made the looters work for

his benefit. Nanjaraja, who was the Chief Minister of the Raja of Mysore, was

impressed by the exhibition of the new firearms and Haider Ali with this

invincible courage accompanied him to Trichinopoly when he embarked on this

foolish venture. Nanjaraja had to join the French who were the enemies of the

English and of Muhammad Ali. But, he caught the eye of the chief of Arcot,

who is said to have recommended him to his ally for further promotion. At

Trichinopally, Haider Ali learnt the secret of Maratha success in attack. After

the fraud of Trichinopally had become fully revealed and before hostilities

actually began between Nanjaraja and the British, Haider Ali did a good turn to

Nanjaraja. Dupleix sent Haider Ali a present in appreciation of his astuteness

and zeal in Trichinopally. Sinha further states towards the end of his stay here,

6 Quoted in,Md.Ilyas Nadvi,Tipu Sultan, Institute of objective studies,N.Delhi,2004.p.38. 7 N.K.Sinha, Haider Ali,p.4

134

Haider Ali was officially at the head of 1500 horses, 3000 regular infantry, 2000

foot-soldiers and 4 guns. He was now appointed Faujdar of Dindigul and he

added to his corps the best of the soldiers whom Nanjaraja had to discharge on

account of his financial embarrassment. He came to Dindigul as the head of

5000 regular infantry, 2500 horses, 2000 foot-soldiers and 6 guns. The Foujdar

of Dindigul must be a strong resourceful person. Haider Ali was selected for the

post. An ambitious man thus got his first independent command.8As Schwartz

says his care for orphans gave me great pleasure he allows no orphan to be

neglected in his dominions. He feeds and clothes them and gives them little

wooden firelocks with which they exercise.9Haider Ali started his career in a

humble capacity in the service of the Raja of Mysore. The King of Mysore

appointed him as the Commander-in-Chief of the entire Mysore army in

recognition of his loyalty and fighting spirit. The King also conferred him with

the title of Fateh Haider Bahadur.10 He also empowered Haider Ali to have his

say in all the military issues against his adversaries. Haider Ali dreamt of

becoming the chief of the State ever since he became the chief of the army. He

rose step by step by increasing his military power and financial resources. He

was able to supplant his patron and assume the powers of government himself in

1761. He repulsed the Marathas and persuaded the Raja of Mysore to surrender

power to him to take care of the kingdom. The Wodeyar Raja remained

engrossed in his life of indolence in his court in the company of buffoons,

jesters, musicians and dancing girls while the real power devolved on Haider

Ali. The chaotic conditions of the kingdom, the Anglo-French rivalry in the

Carnatic facilitated the rise of Haider Ali to take the reins of power into his

hands. 8. Ibid, PP, 14-15 9 .Letter of Rev. Schwartz ;Pearson, Life of Schwartz,I,Pp388-40 10.Epigraphia Car natica., Vol.V, I.K.S., University of Mysore,1976, p.178

135

Similar is the account that a group of historians while composing the History

of South India have furnished the role of the strongest and formidable military

power of Haider Ali in the South: Haider Ali on ascending the throne of

Mysore launched a programme of conquest and annexation. The Bedanore

Kingdom, on the northern frontiers of Kerala was subdued by him in 1763.

Haider decided to invade Calicut through Bedanore in February 1766. His army

aided by a large body of irregulars supplied by Ali Raja, took possession of the

temple at Kunnimangalam and laid siege to Madayi on the 19th February. Later

he subdued Baliappatam, Kottayam, Kadatanad and Kurumbranad. The

administration of Kadathanad was entrusted to the Ali Raja of Cannanore.

Haiders victorious march finally reached the boundaries of the Zamorin, who

for fear of the mighty weaponry of the enemy, sued for peace. But the demands

of Haider being too exorbitant to have conceded, the Zamorin sent all members

of his family to Ponnani and committed suicide after blowing up his palace.

Thus by the middle of April 1766 Haider completed his conquest of the

Zamorins Kingdom.11 S.P. Sen states: Under Haider Ali the decadent state of

Mysore was suddenly raised to a power of political and military importance

which it had never enjoyed before. In the course of a few years it absorbed all

the petty principalities lying beyond its original frontiers and came to extend up

to the river Krishna in the north and the Malabar Coast in the west. Such a rapid

expansion was made possible by a variety of factors the remarkable abilities of

Haider both in war and in diplomacy.

Haider through diplomacy broke the alliance between the Marathas, the

Nizam and the English and dictated peace to the English in 1769 and by 1771 be

consolidated his power and became a formidable force to reckon with .In

11 Chopra, P.N., Ravindran, T.K. and Subrahmanian N., History of South India (Ancient, Medieval and Modern), S. Chand and Company Ltd., New Delhi, India, 2003, pp.55-56.

136

1773,Coorg was conquered followed by the subjugation of the Nayars of Kerala,

and occupation of regions like Trichur, Coachin. With the recapture of Mahe in

1782 Haider rounded off his conquests in the South and obtained full command

of the lines of communication between the Coromandel and the Malabar Coasts.

As Haider emerged as a well seasoned soldier and diplomat, he came to realize

that the French could not be relied upon entirely as they had suffered from

several weaknesses. He was a bold, an original and an enterprising commander,

skillfully in tackles problems and fertile in deployment resources. He beamed

with indefatigable energy and never bothered about defeat. As an Oriental he

was singularly faithful to his engagements, and straightforward in his policy

towards the British. He inflicted crushing blows on the Marathas by aligning

himself with the Nizam. He did not spare the English from tasting crushing

defeats in1780. But as ill-luck would have it, Haiders health began to decline in

the midst of these developments and finally in 1782 Haider passed away at the

age of sixty years.

In the words of Michaud, By his valour, Haider became the idol of his

army; by his popular manners he made his subjects adore him; and although title

of Sovereign was not so legitimate for him as that of a General, he was not less

respected by his subjects than by his soldiers. The means which he employed for

coming to the throne were neither just nor generous; but he used his power only

with justice and generosity. This was indeed a notable feature of his character.

Throughout the twenty one years of his rule we do not find a single deviation

from this principle. In dealing with his subjects as well as officials Haider was

like a lion of justice No one could deny that he was only a usurper, but a

multitude of usurpations had occurred, which rendered the inhabitants of India

quite indifferent to the titles of their monarchs. He never favoured the

oppressors whether they were masters or servants, foes or friends, sons or

137

relatives. He neither showed delay nor lenity in the punishment of offenders or

wrong doers.12 Haider caused his ambition to be pardoned by his virtues, and his

crime was in some way effaced by his glory.13 C.Hayavadana Rao, writing in

the early part of the 20th century has reflected on Haiders personality thus;

Haider cannot to any extent be described as a laughing diplomat. He was too

active, too energetic and too strong minded a man to browse through life,

observing things with a detached and an objective air and deriving as much

benefit as instruction from them. Made of sterner stuff, he was up against any

and every deviation from the promised word. Though a dissembler himself, he

would not allow others the privilege of dissembling. He reveals his true

personality here-when we see him acting the stern exacter of things promised.

The letter of a treaty became as important to him as its very spirit. He

administered justice with impartiality, and gave great encouragement to

agriculture and to commerce. He was indulgent to his subjects, but strict in the

discipline of his army, severe in punishing offenders, and cruel to his enemies.

Haider knew no diplomacy-not even the elements of it. He never thought he

could make something of it to his own benefit. He lost wholly the aid of

diplomacy in his dealings with his opponents. Warfare unsupported by

diplomacy can never prove successful. He was, however, the enemy of the

indolent and luxuries, and the backs and sides of his negligent and extortionate

servants were frequently softened by stripes of the whip. He never therefore

reaped the full benefit due to him from his military successes. Haider offered

hegemony to the whole of the South. His plan was to obtain hegemony over all

the Southern States and to develop them into a military alliance. He wanted to

12 D.S.Achuta Rao, Haidar Ali Character, Personality, Public and Private Life, QJMS Vol.xxx,No.1,July 1939,P.25 13 Menon, Raman V.K., Michauds History of Mysore-Under Haider Ali and Tippoo Sultan, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, India, 1985, p.46

138

maintain the status quo: India for Indians. He desired to link Mysore with South

India as a whole.14The author of the Hydar Nama gives us glimpses into the

character of Hyder Ali15 (Figure-8)

A PROFILE OF TIPU SULTAN

Figure-8. PORTRAIT OF TIPU SULTAN

Courtesy: ASI, Srirangapatna

14.Hayavadana Rao. C, History of Mysore (1766-1799 AD), Vol.I-III, Government Press, Bangalore, India, 1946, pp434-.439 15 MAR,1930,P.102

139

Haider was succeeded by his worthy son Tipu Sultan in 1782.He had been

groomed for the task of shouldering the responsibility of government and

administration. He was a distinctly alternative element From the day of

accession to power in the eighteenth century South Indian political culture,

unlike the nominally independent Nizam Ali Khans, Asafuddaulahs, Nana

Fadnavis or other princes and statesmen of an age when colonialism was

destroying the Indian ancient regime brick by brick, Tipu ,like his father Haider

Ali and northern contemporaries Mahadhaji Sindhia, refused to be pliant and

complaisant to British diplomatic blandishment allied with military threats

during the age from Warren Hastings to Wellesley till his death in May 1799,

there was no movement in life when Tipu felt free. Problems of government

colonial threat and intrigues internal enemies persisted. They increased manifold

as he progressed.16

Tipu was born on November 20, 175017 at Devanahalli, north-west of

Kolar in Karnataka State. Haider Ali married Fatima Begum, also called Fakhr-

un-Nissa, the daughter of Mir Muin-ud-din Khan, the Governor of the fort of

Cuddapah on the insistence of his first wife. Haider Ali offered prayers at the

Dargah of the famous saint Tipu Mastan Aulia of Arcot along with his wife and

prayed to Almighty for a smooth delivery by his second wife. Hence, Haider Ali

named his son Tipu after the great saint. The word Sultan was added only after

he assumed power in the State of Mysore. Haider Ali rose to greater heights

after the birth of Tipu, becoming the Governor of Dindigul.

Haider Ali provided the usual scholastic education and religious education

to Tipu by enlisting the services of eminent scholars. Tipu was also taught 16 .Barun De, Some Socio-Political implications of the cognomen Tipu Sultan in 52nd IHC Proceedings,Delhi,1992,p.700. 17 Moienuddin, Mohammed. Sunset at Srirangapatam After Death of Tipu Sultan, Orient Longman, Hyderabad, India, 2000,P.1& Hasan, Mohibbul, History of Tipu Sultan, World Press Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, India, 1971, p.6. & According to Wills Tipu born in 1753, Historical Sketches of Mysore, Vol II, p.760

140

English and French apart from Kannada and other vernacular languages. Haider

Ali used to monitor the educational progress of Tipu even though he was not

blessed with education. Haider Ali also managed to enlist the services of the

best teachers for the overall education and training of Tipu who was

extraordinarily astute and brilliant right from his infancy. Tipu was also blessed

with a very good childhood and congenial educational environment. His military

preceptor was Ghazi Khan, who was the best partisan officer in Haiders

service.18 Tipu mastered the various arts and sciences including military

education such as horse riding, archery, soldiering and so on under the tutelage

of the British and French experts who were employed for this purpose. Tipu

received state of the art education and training until the age of nineteen in spite

of his pre-occupation with several battles.19 Haider was very solicitous regarding

the education of his sons Under the care of the fakirs and the eye of his father,

Tipu became an expert soldier, and in the management of the horse, the bow, the

lance and the musket shone prominent20. Tipu was groomed educationally and

professionally by Haider Ali with royal training befitting the heir to his throne.

Tipu inculcated extraordinary discipline along with the farsightedness of Haider

Ali.

Tipu had managed one of the five military units which comprised 7,000

troops when he was seventeen years old. He had occupied the strong military

fortress of Mangalore and forced the British to flee to Bombay through the sea

route. He further played a decisive role in the first battle of Mysore in 1767-69

which apparently ensured a significant victory for Haider Ali. Tipu also

participated in the war against the Marathas. He displayed the utmost courage,

skill and competence in the battle against the Marathas in 1769. 18 Hasan, Mohibbul, History of Tipu Sultan, World Press Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, India, 1971, p.7. 19 Michauds, History of Mysore, Asian education Service, Delhi, 1985. P. 48 20 Achuta Rao,op,cit.,p.32

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In 1774, Tipu married two brides namely, Sultana Begum, the daughter of

Bakhshi Navait and Ruqayya Begum, daughter of Lala Miyan Shaheed Chirkoli

respectively, according to the wishes of his parents on the same day. Ruqayya

Begum belonged to Ahle Navait, an Arabian tribe who came from Yemen for

the purpose of trade in India. This community was held in high esteem because

of their high educational, religious and economic status. At the time entire State

of Mysore was in great jubilation. In 1790, Ruqayya Begum expired during the

life time of Tipu and he subsequently married Khadija Zaman Begum, (the

daughter of Syed Moinuddin) according to historians.

Tipu also played a heroic role in the second battle of Mysore against the

British which spread over the period from 1780 to 1784. Nadvi writes: Tipu

played a significant role in giving the forces of British General Bailey, a

crushing defeat at a place called Palilur in which no less than 36 high ranked

military officers and hundreds of soldiers were killed in addition to another 50

top officials being taken into custody and packed off to Srirangapatnam.

Evidently, the areas of Nilur, Kaveri, Patan, Arcot, Sat Garh, Ambur, Tyak Garh

etc were also conquered in 1780 by the efforts of Tipu alone. The credit for

occupying the fort of Mahe Mandal in 1781 also goes to him. In February 1781

Tipu also defeated Gen. Braithwaite in Tanjore. Haider Ali failed to crush the

rising rebellion before he died and laid down his life. After that, Tipu was

ordered to take charge of the mission which he rendered successfully. At the

time of his death Haider Ali had asked his courtiers to assist Tipu in the same

manner as they were serving him with the utmost loyalty. Tipu Sultan took

charge of his State in the formal manner on December 20, 1782. The remaining

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formalities were carried on later at the end of 1784, when the second battle of

Mysore came to an end.21

The State of Mysore extended from east to west up to four hundred miles

covering a vast area of 80,000 square miles. It was divided into 20 districts for

effective administration. The state was bound by the river Krishna in the North-

East, Dharwar in the North-West, and the city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu in the

south east and Cochin in the South-West. Its frontiers extended from the Eastern

Ghats in the east up to the coastal cities of Bhatkal and Karwar on the Arabian

Sea in the West. The entire territory had never been under the rule of a single

monarch before Haider Ali. At the time of Haider Alis demise, the state coffers

contained nearly Three crore rupees and a lot of gold and silver apart from

precious gemstones.22 The immovable governmental properties included a large

number of gardens, buildings and factories in large number. The fame of the

state had spread far and wide because of the prosperity of the subjects and the

efficient administration of the rulers.

Tipu continued the battle, recaptured Bedanore and managed to take away a

considerable portion of the state treasures from them. The British and French

ironed out their differences at the international level and the French kept

themselves aloof from the Mysore forces fighting against the British. In 1783,

the adversaries of Tipu hatched a conspiracy at Srirangapatna in order to oust

Tipu and restore the family of former Hindu rulers of Mysore with the help of

the British.23 However, Tipu efficiently managed the state of affairs and

sustained the fight against the British with the help of the French forces. On

21 Nadvi, Md.ILyas, Tipu Sultan (A Life History), Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, India, 2004, pp.92-93 22 Wilks, Mark, Historical Sketches of the South India in an Attempt to Raise the History of Mysore, Vol. II, Government Press, Mysore, India, 1932, p.172 23. Sec. and Pol. Dept Diaries No.28(1) Dt.24/June/1783, Maharashtra state archives, Bombay

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assuming power Tipu expelled the Palegars their lands were either rented out to

individual by the officers of the government, or retained under their own

immediate management. Thus in a way, it relieved botheration over the

peasants. The most remarkable feature of Tipus new system however was its

enormous dependence on government functionaries to bring the state and tillers

of the soil. Thus, by this new arrangement the Palegars and other intermediaries

were replaced by government functionaries, which enabled Tipu to establish

direct contact with the peasants. Several regulations were introduced to protect

the peasants from the oppressive acts of revenue officials. Collectors imposing

undue exactions on ryots were fined and made to pay back the excess amount.

He also provided some incentives to improve the cultivation and several

measures to extend cultivation on a wider scale.24

Tipu Sultan emerged victorious in the battle of Cuddalore and the British

suffered enormous loss of life and property in this battle. The Treaty of

Mangalore was signed in 1784 with a condition that both the parties would

never assist the opponents of one another directly or indirectly. This treaty was

indeed a crushing defeat for the British and a victory for Tipu even though he

had the strength and an enormous power and strength to rout the British from

India.

Tipu faced a series of internal revolts afterwards. The Raja of Pinaknoor

rebelled against him but Tipu was able to quell the rebellion through diplomacy.

The ruler of Nargundah also revolted against Tipu, but Burhanuddin arrested

him and sent him with his family to Srirangapatna after a fierce battle. The

people of Kodagu also displayed disloyalty to Tipu around the end of 1784 but

Tipu reoccupied Kodagu subsequently. The Raja of Kannanoor also rebelled

against Tipu but sought apologies later. Tipu granted Zamorin a Jagir in 1784 24 Buris Crisp,(Tr.) The Mysorean Revenue Regulations ,British India Analysed,, I ,P.6

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and separated civil and military authority. In 1784, Tipu also intelligently

prevented a battle with the Marathas by accepting their demands to pay the

arrears. Tipu launched an attack on Adhoni in 1786 and the representative of

Asad Ali Khan agreed on a peace accord. Tipu also got a trunk full of arms and

ammunition apart from plenty of wealth. After his successful mission of Adhoni,

he annexed Kanchan Garh without any blood-shed. Tipu beat the Marathas for

the third consecutive time in 1786 and signed a peace pact in April 1787 with

them, reinstating the Nawab of Savanoor as per their request.25

In 1788, Tipu arrived in Calicut and dismissed both Arshad Beg Khan and

Mir Ibrahim. Proceeded to the south bank of Beypore river to build another

capital and fort namely Farrukhabad which was built on the tallest hill of Nallur

and reached upto the coast of Calicut (including the port).26 Tipu selected this

location primarily because of its strategic importance and its similarities with

other Mysorean forts including Edapal in Kerala and Srirangapatna in Mysore.

Tipu also endeavored to build up a network of roads throughout Malabar since

they were primarily intended to suppress the rebels and provide transportation of

commercial products to the ports. Tipu also had clear business motives which

prompted him to introduce state monopoly on trade in the Malabar region. In

1789, Tipu again entered Malabar through the Tamarasseri pass, and at the end

of February he directed his march northwards and succeeded in making good his

retreat with the public treasure through the pass of Tamarasseri, according to

Mujeebu Rehman.

Tipu returned to Srirangapatna after the peace agreement with the Marathas

and sent a diplomatic mission to the Ottoman Caliphate in order to develop

strategic relations between South India and the Persian Gulf in 1789. He sent 25 ., Mohibbul Hasan,, History of Tipu Sultan, World Press Pvt. Ltd., Calcutta, India, 1971, p.108. 26 Mujeebu Rehman, Farooqbad as Tipu Sultans capital of Malabar, in Indian History Congress, 67th Session Soveniar, Farook College.Calicut 2007.P.76.

145

this mission with the view to establish a formidable political and military entity

against the British and presented a cash amount of Ten lakh rupees, diamond

and jewellery to Sultan Salim in order to establish diplomatic and trade

relations. The Caliph positively responded to the initiatives of Tipu. Tipu also

sent his missions to the rulers of Iran and Afghanistan namely,27 Karim Khan

Zand and Zaman Shah Durrani respectively for promoting Islamic fraternity and

diplomatic relations. He concentrated on the administration of the state,

development of the economy, promotion of education, and other constructive

activities which enriched the status of Mysore State under his regime.

Tipu also managed the revolts of the rulers of Cochin and Travancore

successfully. In this way, a battle lost by Tipu Sultan was transformed into a

welcome victory appreciated by one and all (including his enemies) for

determination, courage and valour. The British formed an allied front for waging

a full-fledged war against Tipu who was the most formidable adversary in South

India. The British, the Nizam and the Marathas prepared grounds for the

elimination of Tipu Sultan because he was bent upon chasing the British off the

Indian soil. Tipu persuaded the French King Louis-XVI to support him through

military assistance against his enemies.28 But, Tipu had to fight the third battle

of Mysore against the British almost single handedly. Tipu attacked the British

regiment in 1791 at Bangalore and made the British forces struggle at every

hour Tipu had to a pay heavy price for the treachery by his own men. The

British occupied Bangalore and Devanahalli. The heroic deeds of Mir

Qamruddin, a trusted lieutenant of Tipu made the British surrender. The Nizam

and Maratha forces also attacked the State of Mysore and subsequently

conquered several places. The defeat of Mysore forces at Dharwad occurred in 27 Sec. and Pol.Dept Diaries No.34../Sep/1786,P.815-16, Maharashtra state archives, Bombay 28 Sec. and Pol.Dept Diaries No .28 March 4th 1782 pp346-47, Maharashtra state archives, Bombay/ Mohibbul Hasan, History of Tipu Sultan,p.115.

146

1791 under the most disadvantageous circumstances. Tipu sustained his struggle

against the British, the Marathas and the Nizam with utmost courage and

patriotism.

The British adopted the divide and rule policy and tried their best to

disintegrate the people in the name of religion. The British forces succeeded in

crossing over the Cauvery and capturing several eastern territories of

Srirangapatna despite the strong resistance by Tipu with his Mysore forces.

There was a peace agreement signed by both the sides on February 23, 1792

which made Tipu surrender half of his territories, 3.3 crore of rupees and two of

his sons (princes) to the allies. Tipu had to sign the agreement against his

conscience since he was subjected to the most intensely entice circumstances

politically and otherwise.29

Tipu paid the allies the first installment of the imposed damages as per the

commitment. Tipu also concentrated his time and energy on rebuilding of the

State of Mysore and starting diplomatic parleys with foreign countries. He

established parliamentary democracy in order to enlist the active participation of

the people in the process of development administration.30 Tipu also revamped

the defence management and services. He prevailed upon the allies to live in

love and harmony avoiding disunity among them. Tipu also renewed efforts to

have cordial relations with the Nizam and the Marathas. Tipu Sultan was one of

the progressive rulers of South India. He was opinion that a countrys greatness

and prosperity mainly depended upon its trade, commerce and industry. He took

personal interest in trade and set-up a separate department of commerce and paid

special attention to it. He also issued a number of commercial regulations to

29 Political Proceedings. , April 4, 1792, Cons.No.2, Cornwallis to Oakeley, NAI, New Delhi. 30 Mohibbul Hasan, History of Tipu Sultan, p.115.

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improve trade and commerce in his kingdom31. He also took special attention to

it. The commercial regulations of Tipu Sultan throw light on the trading

activities of Mysore kingdom. He issued a number of commercial regulations to

improve the trade and commerce in his kingdom. He also established contacts

with foreign rulers. The commercial regulations of 1793-94 launched a big plan

for establishing the Inland trade on a very extensive and organized scale.

Established factories to provide employment and income generating

opportunities to the people and motivated the manufacturers to produce quality

goods and services. These factories achieved acclaim beyond India and earned

profits through exports. The empty coffers of the State were filled to the brim

within a couple of years because of the remarkable diplomatic relations and

trade activities launched by Tipu.

In 1798, Lord Wellesley was sent to India with a view to ensuring absolute

colonization of the Indian sub-continent by the then Prime Minister Pitt.32

Wellesley found that, except for the State of Mysore all other states of India

were on the verge of disintegration and decline socially and politically. The

British fully realized that Tipu was a formidable force in South India, a

stumbling block in the path of colonization. Tipu had prepared the ground for

the ouster of the British from Indian soil by entering into diplomatic relations

with foreign powers like the French, the Arabs and others. Wellesley designed a

strategy to break off all the links of Tipu internally and externally. In particular,

Wellesley felt that it was strategically crucial to keep the Marathas and the

Nizam at bay from Tipu. Nadvi states: As a matter of fact, Wellesley had fears

that the Nizam and Marathas could join hands with Tipu being fellow citizens.

Therefore, in his mission of keeping them distant, he prepared a scheme called 31 William Kirkpatrick, Select Letters of Tippoo Sulatan, Appendix,E. Pp.xxxiii-xlvii 32 Pitts India Act in 1784, Fort William India house correspondence, 1797-1800, Vol, XXI, (military) National Archives of India, 1969, P.75

148

the Subsidiary System by virtue of which they had to remove the foreign

forces, for protection-sake, from their frontiers and appoint a British resident

instead. These rulers were befooled to believe that the real motive behind this

scheme was to protect their territories from the onslaught of their foes. However,

it was in fact aimed at paralyzing them subsequent to which, the entire gamut of

power would go into the hands of the British.33

Several adverse factors were mainly responsible for the Fourth Anglo-Mysore

War. They include the Nizams feud with the British, the pressuring of the

Marathas to support the British, derogatory terms used by the British to Tipu

and the conspiracy of Lakshmi Ammanni of Mysore State,34,35 the espionage

activities of traitors against Tipu, the unreasonable proposal by the British

before Tipu and rejection of the British proposal by Tipu. The British declared

the Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 and launched multi-pronged attack against Tipu.

Tipu experienced a series of disadvantages and setbacks in this war. Tipu was

least prepared to leave the Warfield like a coward along with his family, cash

and jewellery in the dead of the night. Neither did his conscience permit him to

hand over the loyalists to the enemies. He made up his mind to accept

martyrdom gracefully rather than running away from the battle field and was

fully prepared to accept the command of His Almighty.36 A historic chapter of

patriotism and freedom ended and another ugly chapter of subordination opened

up in the annals of Indian History on May 4, 1799 with the martyrdom of Tipu

Sultan at Srirangapatna. After the death of Tipu, the fourth and final battle of

Mysore came to an ominous end. General Harris came towards Sultans dead

33 Nadvi, Md.ILyas, Tipu Sultan (A Life History), Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi, India, 2004,p .182 34 Sec. and Pol. Dept. Diary No.28(1) 24June 1783 pp. 5-19,29-32.Maharashtra State Archives ,Mumbai. 35 Foreign Dept, Secret Branch letter, 17th Nov, 1783. Pp 1-8.NAI 36 W.Miles (Tr.), History of Tipu Sultaan, Susil Gupta(India)Private Ltd. ,Calcutta Second Edition,1958, P.124

149

body and yelled at the top of his voice: Today, India is ours.37 The death of

Tipu Sultan closed an illustrious chapter in the freedom struggle of India. His

body was cremated according to Islamic rites and rituals on May 5, 1799

alongside Haider Alis grave in Lalbagh. Thousands of mourners regardless of

their religion and region bade farewell to this illustrious son of the soil with

moist eyes and crestfallen hearts.

Praxy Fernandez illustrates the profile of Tipu thus: It reveals a man of

imagination and courage, a man of strong belief and prophetic visionof strong

likes and dislikes a soldier and a scholar a modernist, a scientist, a planner38

That is why Haider Ali and his illustrious son Tipu Sultan occupy a place of

honour and remembered in the nationalist historiography for the ideals they

stood for and the work they did to bring Mysore kingdom on world map and left

an indelible mark on the history of South India. Plebeian in origin, with no claim

to blue blood of any sort it was difficult for them to create a niche for

themselves, but they did it through heroism speaks of their capacity to take up

the challenges that the British colonial power on the one hand thwart them and

the desertion of Indian counterparts on the other created before them during the

eighteenth century. Not only did they confront them valiantly with conviction

but were ready to sacrifice anything not excluding their own life. The

ideological mindset of this ruler, therefore, deserves serious attention of all

students of Indian History in general and the history of south India in particular.

37.Ilyas Nadvi, History of Tipu Sultan, P.201 38 Fernandes, Praxy, The Tigers of Mysore: A Biography of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, Revised and updated Edition, Viking, Penguin India, New Delhi, India, 1991.pp.198-99.

150

INFLUENCE OF MADARI IDEOLOGY

In the eighteenth century India, Nawabs, Rajas, Maharajas, Begums,

Nayakas, Palegars and innumerable chiefs of various rank and file existed. They

were available in plenty mostly emerging on the debris of the Mughal Empire.

Every one of them had long titles to decorate as if they were trophies won, but

very few were effective as real power centers capable of comprehending the

colonial threat in store and all of them were in deep slumber satisfied with

whatever land revenue they could grab. Everyone was deeply involved in cold

conspiracies and intrigues often of a very cheap variety just to safeguard their

crown and throne. At such a time Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan appeared on the

stage when the influence of the Madari silsilah (founded by Zinda Shah Madar

and the order, therefore, goes after him) was at its peak in lower Deccan and the

South.39 Orthodox Sufi orders and those who claim descent of spiritual authority

on hereditary lines viz the sajjadas as recipients of large estates as Madad

Maash grants from the state could hardly be distinguished from members of

the ruling elite. Deeply abhorrent as it was they had very little to contribute to

eliminate the misery in society and work for its welfare. They were a bastion of

orthodoxy, conservatism and fanaticism as an eminent historian remarked.

They were the propagandists of the regime which had bestowed on them

liberal grants and hence its apologists. Deeply distressed and disgusted, these

God intoxicated souls, mostly unorthodox in living style, the Madaris roaming

about the land scantily clad could be found completely withdrawn from the

world around them and developing an attitude of otherworldliness which

appeared very strange to the orthodox. They could not comprehend the silent

protest hidden in their lifestyle against the orthodox and the conservative

sections protected, promoted and preserved by the indigenous ruling class. 39.Richard Maxwell Eaton, Sufis of Bijapr 1300-1700, Princeton University Press, New Jersey 1978,p.267

151

The unorthodox Sufis or Majzubs if one prefers to call them, developed the

practice of recruiting followers and their initiation process involved rituals in

which a new recruit was called the Masum or innocent the new recruit was

given a ritual bath after shaving his head , a shred is put which resembles the

cloth that drapes the dead and for three days, he is kept in a secluded place,

generally a Dargah is preferred and after performing the third day ceremony, he

is given a staff and allowed to go anywhere propagating the Madari ideology.

Their existence as an entity was not for this world but for the other world, that in

other words, as he is initiated into the Madari order, he is declared practically

dead to this world and is set on the spiritual path. He shall not, after the

initiation, take up service under any authority nor spread his hands before others

for charity or alms. He has to eke out his living through hard work. Only

cultivation of soil to grow food is permitted for his livelihood. No business

activity which involves profit making is allowed. He has to live in abject

poverty, penance, prayer, remembrance of God and performing of such tasks as

to realize God remained his essential functions. If he dies or gets killed, he does

not require the usual rituals of bath or Namaz-i-janaza. All this had been

performed at his initiation into the order. A repetition is not required if the

circumstances and the conditions in which he dies did not permit that for any

reason. Such is the Madari Order and it had come to develop in the eighteenth

century. The centers where ideology and practices that they would generally

gather in south India were Trichinopoly famous for the tomb Durgah of Nathar

Wali , Penukonda famous for the Dargha of Baba Fakhruddin located in the

Precincts of a temple and Mulbagal where the Dargah of Baba Haider Auliya is

located. There is no fixed time for their gathering but at the annual urs

celebrations, one finds their assemblage in substantial number .The tomb and

Dargah of Syed Aminuddin Ali Aala located at Shahpur hillock, Bijapur is the

152

radiating centre of these fakirs and Tipu Mastan Auliya whose tomb is at Arcot,

Tamilnadu a wandering ascetic was once a resident of Syed Aminuddin Ali Ala

Dargah at Shahpur.Bijapur40 Defiant of authority irrespective whether it was the

Adil Shahi court or Aurangazebs fanatical outlook, Shahpur hillock famous for

the grave tombs of Aminuddin Ali Ala and his ancestors was the place for these

recluses, to retire fully absorbed in their own world of God realization. While

they had their disciples from across section of society they did not interfere in

the affairs of the state or associate in any manner with the state and its affairs.

They were always involved in spiritual duties that fell within the domain of

vilayat or the spiritual territory. Sometimes they accepted frugal food which

their disciples and the common people would bring. While they produced no

literature of a serious kind, they spent their time in discussions with disciples

myriad higher aspects of religious life and spiritual development. Their life

reflected plenty of yogic influence bordering on torture and they normally

covered their bodies in black cloth unstitched (the standard of the prophet of

Islam incidentally, happened to be of the same color). In a sense they lived on

the frontiers of the heart land mingled with all people, Hindu ascetics, yogis,

Dervishes, Fakirs and people of that kind in which India was not lacking. It was

such a scenario that eighteenth century presented itself and amidst such

conditions Haider Ali came up. A popular tradition of his childhood days still

preserved speaks of Haider grazing cattle in open fields at Budikote in Kolar

District before taking up service as soldier in the Maharajas government. It is a

recorded fact that as Haider prospered later in life we here the name of his

spiritual mentor Khaki Shah with whose guidance and advice Haider fought

many battles. Khaki Shah fell in the Telugu region and his dead body was

brought and buried at Nimkan Halli in Chitamani Taluk of Kolar district. A 40 .ibid,p.265

153

large tomb on his grave painted red still exists and one is bewildered by the size

of the tomb which is octagonal. Khaki Shah was a madari sufi and his life

resembled the life of Ghazi Babas on the frontiers in Asia minor, mixing in

himself qualities of religious zeal, mystic abandonment of worldliness and

sacrifice.41 Haider Ali could never forget his company for his noble advice and

guidance. When a son was born to him at Devanahalli, the name Tipu Mastan

Auliya a Madari Sufi buried at Arcot was immediately recalled to his memory

and hence the name Tipu Sultan. But what is relevant and significant for our

purpose is the nomenclature Mastan meaning a deeply intoxicated fully

absorbed and immersed soul was making rounds in the south connoting its

spiritual meaning.

In a nutshell, what is intended here is to reassess the ideological and

psychological mind set of the rulers of Mysore Haider and Tipu in the latter half

of the eighteenth century. The influence of Madari order was very deep on their

psyche and by extension it meant, preparing the mind to sacrifice anything

including ones own life for a cause that they held as supreme. While One is apt

in calling the Madari Sufi religious recluses, Dervishes, fakirs Majzubs, Mastans

and Qalandars and so on. Haider and Tipu remained thoroughly secular.42 They

were rulers by exercising secular authority the object being to protect the

freedom of their country and secure public weal an ideology of the Madarian

sufis.43 Both the father and the son struggled to accomplish these objectives. The

socio-economic measures they introduced are only an indication of what they

planned but when the moment of fighting with ones back to the wall arrived to

preserve their work, they did not even care dying for it. Tipu Sultan, exposed to

such an ideological set up, did not mind rushing into the battlefield and 41 S.N.Fisher, The Middle East ,Routledge And Kegan Paul Ltd.,London,1966 P.162 42 ,Barun De,op.cit.,p.703 43 Ibid.p.267

154

sacrificing his life. This aspect of his character distinguishes him from all others,

and earns accolades of great energy at the hands of historians who assess and

reassess the regime every time.

SUMMARY

The rule of Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, though short (1761-99) was a

stormy one in the annals of South India. Both the father and his son

distinguished themselves as great rulers by the dint of their courage and genius

to raise an insignificant kingdom to challenge the invincibility of the rising

British power in India during the later part of the eighteenth century. If Haider

Ali played a pivotal role in the expansion and consolidation of the kingdom of

Mysore, his equally worthy son Tipu Sultan spared no efforts to develop and

modernize the kingdom as he could comprehend what modernization implied in

a traditional, conservative and caste bound society. It was an age of

mercantilism and Europe was on the way to scientific revolution and

industrialization when these two rulers came to shoulder the responsibility of

managing the affairs of a kingdom. It is not proper to forget the transformation

that Europe had undergone from a feudalistic economy to mercantilist economy.

The mercantilist economy, which one touches the history of Mysore during

their rule. Merchant capital had delivered a death blow to the old order of things

in Europe; joint stock companies had come into existence and plenty of gold

came into circulation as trade and commerce across the world grew, especially

in the Indian Ocean. This had a profound impact on the states in the Indian

littoral. During Haiders period, various mercantile companies, groups and even

individual merchants were present in the Indian Ocean and plenty of merchant

capital was in circulation. It was this capital that denied the Mughal state the

services of a large section of artisans and craftsmen who shifted themselves in

155

favor of European trading companies in the production process. As one

examines the economic regulations of Tipu Sultan, it is not difficult to

comprehend the efforts of the Sultan to augment the economy through state

participation in trading activities linking a pure agrarian economy with

commercial economy that was developing at a first place.

The economic measures of Tipu Sultan backed up by various other

subsidiary regulations to build a naval organization along the coast of the

Kingdom of Mysore was bound to bring him into open confrontation with the

English East India Company sooner or later. Tipus efforts to develop

diplomatic relations with powers over seas who were either his co-religionists or

who were in competition with the British on matters of trade, commerce and

colonies clearly indicative of this.

Several works of eminent historians have expressed the view that Haider Ali

laid a strong political and economic foundation for the State of Mysore. Haider

Ali was neither a diplomat nor an economist of a high order; yet, he valiantly

expanded the State of Mysore and mobilized enormous economic resources. On

the other hand, Tipu Sultan had the ability to lead his kingdom to modernization

both politically and economically. This inference is drawn on the basis of the

economic policy and reforms carried out by Tipu Sultan. Undoubtedly, Tipu

Sultan rightly understood the need and importance of a dynamic economic

policy. He formulated several regulations connected with trade and commercial

transactions, the most innovative scheme brought forward, being Public

Investment.44 The scheme was unique in the sense that the returns were paid in

inverse ratio. The amount invested by the general public in that scheme was

reinvested by the government in government trade. Another aspect of Tipu

Sultans regime which deserves to be noted is his secular policy. Gandhiji wrote 44 W. Kirkpatrick ,Op.cit., Appendix-E ,p.xliv

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